Method and system for for low power internetwork communication with machine devices

ABSTRACT

A wireless mobile device (“UE”) operating in a battery-conserving low-power state processes incoming signaling or data in a received message to determine whether to act further on information in the message by enabling additional processing capability in the UE. A server may generate awaken information derived from a stored secret value that only the UE device and a server that manages the UE can obtain. The awaken information may also be based on a shared value shared between the server and the UE. The UE may separately derive the awaken information and may exit a low power state when awaken information received from the server in an awaken message in a first protocol matches the separately derived awaken information. The server may transmit a fall-back second awaken message in a different protocol than the first protocol if no confirmation is received that the UE received the first awaken message.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 to, and is acontinuation in part of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/700,645entitled “Method and system for low power internetwork communicationwith machine devices,” which was filed Sep. 11, 2017, and whichapplication, and this application, claim priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e)to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/393,988 entitled “Methodand system for low power internetwork communication with machinedevices,” which was filed Sep. 13, 2016, both of which previously filedapplications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD

The field relates, generally, to Internet of Things systems and devicesand, more particularly, to a system and method for delivering, anddetermining whether to act upon, messages, notifications, and inquiriesto Wireless Wide Area Network (“WWAN”) connected devices.

BACKGROUND

The Internet of Things (“IOT”) is a recent development in which everydayobjects have connectivity to data networks allowing them to send andreceive data to other devices or systems. The connectivity enables thedevices to achieve greater value and service by exchanging data withother systems, servers, and controllers. Sometimes this connectivity isused for remotely monitoring and controlling the connected device. IOTsystems generally refer to the integrated use of telecommunicationsdevices in embedded systems for transmitting, receiving, controlling,remotely storing and processing information. More generally, IOT mayrefer to smart devices sending, receiving, and storing information viatelecommunication devices over a public communication network such asthe World Wide Web (“WWW”).

Other than the convergence of telecommunications and informationprocessing, the term IOT may also refer to automation of variousprocesses relating to the controlling and managing remote devices andsystems. For example, in a scenario where an IOT system includesmultiple food or beverage vending machines, the IOT system can reportthe inventory status of remote vending machines, operate e-paymentsystems that facilitate purchase of items from the vending machine,update content to be displayed on the exterior of one of IOT vendingmachines, and report interior temperature of one or more of the vendingmachines to provide an enhanced experience for the customers. In anotherscenario, an IOT system can allow a homeowner to remotely monitor andcontrol the heating and air conditioning systems utilizing a smartthermostat while communicating over a communication network with one ormore centralized servers to intelligently manage energy efficiency andto process consolidated energy usage reports. This IOT system may alsosynchronize the energy usage with other nearby systems to smooth outlocalized energy usage peaks, thus lowering overall peak energy demandon public utilities such as electricity and natural gas. In otheraspects, the homeowners IOT system may monitor weather conditions andsynchronize water usage for non-essential activities such as pool waterreplenishment and landscape watering.

An IOT device may be connected to a larger network, for example theInternet, using an ever-expanding number of methods. Early connecteddevices were networked with each other using proprietary localizednetworks created using multi-drop serial networks or simplenon-standardized wireless networks. Those devices generally communicatedwith local gateways or controllers and were rarely remotely operable. Aswide area networks were established, creative ideas drove the concept ofconnecting and controlling devices beyond the reach of the localnetwork. As new technologies drive down costs of embedded electronics,sensors, and network connectivity, interconnection of devices andsystems becomes more common.

Another major development that has contributed to the expansion of theIOT is the widespread rollout of centralized “cloud computing” services.Cloud computing allows application software to be operated usingcentralized, sometimes virtualized, Internet connected services. Thefoundation of cloud computing is based on the broader concept of sharedservices and a converged infrastructure. Cloud computing, which some maygenerally refer to as the use of computer resources that are distributedin ‘the cloud,’ relies on the sharing of resources and the economies ofscale to deliver computing services. Combining the capabilities of thelow cost, emerging, and connected smart devices with the expanse ofconnected cloud computing environments has created a technologicalopportunity to develop innovative solutions that will enhance automationin nearly every aspect of life.

Early Internet connected devices required complicated and expensivegateways to establish the Internet Protocol (“IP”) connectivity. In theearly days of the IOT, Ethernet, the primary physical connectivitymedium, required expensive and power hungry hardware. The softwarestacks to implement IP were large and complicated and not easily portedto hardware systems unless the hardware included significant processingpower and memory. Many of those IP stacks required an advanced operatingsystem that further drove the hardware complexity. Over the last fewyears, micro computing and memory technologies have advanced to thepoint where a full operating system can be ported to very small and costeffective platforms. Some of the new single-chip micro computingplatforms that have been introduced over the last five years arepowerful enough to include an IP stack, real-time operating system, andsensor management to support an advanced smart device.

Advances in the various physical layer communication devices andtechnologies have also encouraged the deployment of connected devices.For example, Wi-Fi is a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) computernetworking technology that allows electronic devices to connect directlyto the Internet thru a Wi-Fi wireless access point (“WAP”). Wi-Finetworks typically operate using low power transmitters on unlicensedspectrum at either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. The specifications for Wi-Finetworks are based upon IEEE 802.11 standards. Although the name “IOT”infers a direct connection to the Internet, in many cases the directconnection is using a medium and technology that is not directly IP. Thereasons for selecting a different connection type are many.

Other recently developed technologies that are driving the IOT includeZigBee, Z-wave and of course the various Wireless Wide Area Network(“WWAN”) technologies such as GSM, UMTS, and LTE. WWAN technologiesdiffer from WLAN technologies by using different spectrum, protocols,security and authentication systems and the coverage area of a WWAN istypically much larger. WWAN wireless networks are usually operated bymobile telecommunications (or cellular) operators using licensedspectrum. The services may be offered regionally, nationally orglobally.

The connecting of devices to the Internet using various WWANtechnologies is older than the term “Internet of Things.” Earlynon-cellular technologies included Mobitex, DataTAC, and ReFLEX. Eachwas a purpose-built data-network that supported narrow-band two-way dataconnectivity. Although the networks existed before the wide acceptanceof what we now know of as the Internet, they operated on private widearea networks. As the wireless cellular networks became more refined,systems emerged to leverage the assets of cellular operators. In theUnited States, Cellular Digital Packet Data (“CDPD”) networks weredeveloped and deployed using the unused bandwidth of the AMPS analogmobile networks. While CDPD supported speeds up to 19.2 K bits persecond, and was significantly faster than Mobitex, DataTAC, or ReFLEX,it could not compete against the slower, less expensive and moreflexible Mobitex, DataTAC, and ReFLEX networks.

Outside the US, GSM networks, a second-generation (“2G”) technology,were being deployed using digital wireless technology as opposed to theanalog networks of AMPS. Being digital, these 2G networks couldinherently carry data communications but the connectivity was notusually to a wide area network like the Internet, but to local modeminterworking-function platforms that placed an outgoing analog dial-upmodem call over the fundamentally analog public switched telephonenetwork (“PSTN”), bridging the digital GSM world with the analog PSTNworld. This was called circuit-switched data (“CSD”). The over-archingpremise of the CSD solutions depended upon on the wireless mobilecommunication device initiating the outgoing connection.

The wireless networks in the United States began to deploy digitalwireless technology, principally for voice, in more than a few marketsby the mid- to late-1990's. These systems also included a modeminterworking-function or CSD that depended on the mobile device toinitiate the outgoing interconnection to its destination. As theInternet became popular in the late 1990's, the modems were removed frominterworking-function, allowing devices to connect to the Internetdirectly without going thru an analog modem to the PSTN to reach theInternet. Again, it should be noted that these CSD-connected devices,which could perhaps be considered as the first IOT devices, couldinitiate outgoing data connections, but could not easily receiveincoming data connections from the Internet.

In the early 2000's, the GSM network operators began to deploy GeneralPacket Radio Service (“GPRS”) technology in their wireless networks.GPRS is a packet oriented mobile data service for GSM 2G and thirdgeneration (“3G”) networks. Instead of “dialing” thru a CSD connection,GPRS devices access the terrestrial packet network using an access pointname (“APN”), username and password. Although the APN may specify accessto the public Internet, it may also specify access and connection to adefined endpoint, for example, to a private enterprise network. This wasthe first system to provide worldwide mobile access to the Internet. Asabove, it should be noted that these WWAN connected devices initiatedthe outgoing connection to the external packet networks.

The wireless industry refers to incoming wireless device connections, asmobile terminated (“MT”) voice or data connections. MT wireless devicesand connections are considered mobile, without regard to the movabilityof the device. The significant advantage of the early packet datanetworks such as Mobitex, DataTAC, and ReFLEX was their ability toaccept MT data connections. Mobitex, DataTAC, and ReFLEX networks wereprincipally designed to support two-way paging-like features, includingportable wireless devices carried on one's person like a one-way pagerand as such, these networks supported devices that firstly supportedincoming MT data. For the cellular wireless and GPRS networks, includingUniversal Mobile Telephone Service (“UMTS”) networks, data transport wasan afterthought (or late addition) and receiving incoming dataconnections was not generally supported by the networks for the vastnumber of devices that operated or will operate on the wirelessnetworks. Short Message Service (“SMS”) connectivity was one of thefirst types of MT data supported by the vast majority of wireless mobiledevices that were created first and foremost for voice services.

The methods of receiving, accepting. and acting upon incoming dataconnections are many. Almost all current methods are very slow or veryexpensive in terms of network resources. One method currently usedalmost exclusively for IOT devices involves sending an SMS message tothe remote wireless device and once received, the remote wireless deviceinitiates an outgoing connection to the requesting server. This methodmay be referred to as an ‘SMS Shoulder Tap.’ Another method supported bysome IOT devices, but significantly less popular, is to place an MTvoice call to the IOT device using its Mobile Station InternationalSubscriber Directory Number (“MSISDN”). The data device does not acceptthe MT voice call, but instead uses this incoming call as a triggeringevent and subsequently initiates an outgoing IP connection to therequesting server. Both methods described are problematic and involvesignificant latency and require the initiating server to interface todisparate systems.

Modern WWAN IoT systems are deployed in many different locations. Manyof those devices are deployed in locations where the device may bepowered by standard commercial utility power sources. However, many IoTapplications that do have access to commercial utility power also haveaccess to either wired or WiFi wireless Internet connections, drivingthe significant percentage of WWAN IoT applications specifically tothose requiring both mobility and non-utility power applications. Evenheavy equipment and automotive telematics applications have powerlimitations; not necessarily while the engine is running, but morespecifically while the equipment or vehicle is idle (i.e., the vehicle'sengine is not spinning the alternator. Thus, any device receiving powerfrom the vehicle is depleting charge from a battery of the vehicle).Remote control applications in telematics applications as well as solaror battery powered data acquisition equipment require very low standbyoperation power so that the device can receive remote commands forextended periods without overly large standby batteries.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/093,560 (“'560”) filed Apr. 7, 2016,which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses methods toefficiently route traffic and signals to mobile devices using 3GPPstandard methods coupled with the previously disclosed Internetgateway(s). Although '560 discusses solutions to certain networksignaling and traffic routing problems and addresses external Internetsecurity issues, '560 does not address device power management andsecurity aspects as disclosed herein.

With the large number of IOT devices and with the user expectation ofInternet-like responses from those devices, and the need for remotelycontrolling WWAN connected devices, it is desirable to have a reliableand high-speed method to re-establish a data session with a device thatmay have already ended a session, but that remains attached. It isdesirable to minimize the power consumed by a device that remains in astandby state, while maintaining the device in a state where it canreceive incoming data packets necessary to respond to remote control orremote data requests.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one or more of the embodiments, this disclosurepresents a method for managing a wirelessly connected mobile devicewhile remaining connected in an attached state in a 3G network, or whileEMM-registered in a 4G LTE network. A method and system is disclosedherein for managing a remote connection re-establishment solution thatminimizes total mobile device power consumption without unnecessarilydelaying connection time. Further, a method and system is disclosedherein for securely managing the data session reestablishment processwithout unnecessary power draining events that could drain a battery inunsuccessful or fraudulent connection attempts.

WWAN devices have numerous attachment states, with some statespermitting the device itself to communicate over an IP network to somepredetermined IP endpoint in the wireless network using default ordedicated bearers. That endpoint is usually part of, or managed by, asophisticated router, a GGSN in a GSM/UMTS network, or a Packet Gateway[PGW] in an LTE network. The GGSN/PGW acts as a firewall when the deviceconnects to the Internet and it operates like a gateway when the deviceconnects to a defined private network, for example, an enterprisenetwork operated by a third party enterprise specifically for supportingthe connectivity of the IOT device to the enterprise's own privateservers. In the case of LTE devices, any time a WWAN device is attachedto the network it has a default bearer established between the deviceand the network, and with the proper network implementation andconfiguration messages can be pushed to the WWAN device regardless ofwhether the device itself is prepared to receive the message.

WWAN mobile platforms for LTE or UMTS generally have a modulararchitecture for wireless communications and user applications. Usuallythe platform contains a modem subsystem comprising a hardware sub-systemand a layered software sub-system. Additionally, the mobile platformusually includes either a co-located third party application processoror preferably a multi-processor system-on-a-chip [MPSOC] where one ofthe processors is dedicated to the modem function and handles a reducedset of functionalities, such as providing access to a mobilecommunications network. A second, third or subsequent processor core maybe dedicated to provide higher layer or level communicationsfunctionality, for example the implementation of an IP protocol, andmultimedia and user interface and application processing.

Those skilled in the art should quickly recognize that for a mobilecommunications handset or smartphone to function properly, the subsystemof the device serving as the interface to the mobile communicationnetwork (e.g., modem) must remain powered unless it is managed inconjunction with functionality in the mobile communications networkitself. One example of this management is the Discontinuous Receive[DRX] function of LTE as described in 3GPP TS 36.304. In this mode, thebaseband processing may be temporarily suspended for a period of time toallow the mobile device to save power. In order for the basebandprocessor to be active for reception of incoming signaling or messaging,the baseband processor and serving node of the network coordinate theperiods of time when the baseband processor “sleeps,” such thatsignaling occurs during the periods of the baseband processor beingactive.

Although the above examples specifically are related to mobilecommunications devices implemented as smartphones where small batteriesand long life are obviously critical, the above examples can equallyapply to Internet of Things device connected to a mobile communicationsnetwork. Early IoT devices used SOCs created specifically for handsetsbecause the volume was not large enough to justify the development ofcustom SOCs for IoT. Leveraging the power management features of thehandset SOCs for IoT devices is equally important in most cases. Thisdisclosure teaches a method to minimize power consumption of the mobilecommunications device by leveraging the baseband processor, or basebandprocessing subsystem on a SOC, to assist in the power management of theentire mobile communications device by filtering incoming networkmessages and packets, and deciding whether to act upon the receivedincoming messages, in addition to its job of interfacing to the wirelesscommunications network, while the power to applications processors areoff and their clocks are stopped or the power is applied to theapplications processor(s), but the clocks are operated at a very slowpower saving rate.

Aspects include, a system, or a wireless communication device thatincludes one or more electronic systems, that includes a first processorportion. The first processor portion may be a microprocessor, a systemon a chip, or other digital data processor circuitry. The firstprocessor may be a baseband processor, a wireless communication modemprocessor, or a processor that may not have the capability to performsophisticated application processing. The first processor may beconfigured to evaluate a received message to determine whether toprovide an instruction to transition from a low power state. The messagemay be received from radio circuitry of a device that includes the firstprocessor, is associated with the first processor, or that is coupledwith the first processor. The instruction to transition from a low powerstate may be an instruction for a component that is part of the system,or wireless communication device that include the first processor, orfor another portion a chip that includes the first processor portion, totransition from a low power state, which may be a ‘sleep’ state.

The first processor portion is further configured to evaluate by thefirst processor portion of the received message, which evaluation mayinclude comparing at least a one aspect of the received message to atleast one transition from low power state criterion. The at least onetransition from low power state criterion may be one of a plurality ofcriteria, or may be a single criterion, the satisfying of any one ofwhich may be used as a basis to generate a transition from low powerstate instruction.

The first processor may be further configured to generate a transitionfrom low power state instruction if the at least one aspect of thereceived message satisfies the at least one transition from low powerstate criterion; and to provide the transition from low power stateinstruction, typically to a second processor portion, which may be partof a wireless communication device that includes the first processor,that is part of a system on a chip that includes the first processor,portion, or that is another component that is configured to cooperatewith the first processor portion to operate certain aspects of awireless communication device, such as running applications thattypically process data that may be transmitted over a data connectionwhen the wireless communication device is not in an ECM Idle state or inan RRC idle state.

In an aspect, the second processor portion may be configured to providethe at least one transition from low power state criterion. The secondprocessor portion may be configured to provide the at least onetransition from low power state criterion before transitioning to thelow power state. The at least one transition from low power statecriterion may be a template that includes criterion, or criteria, fordetermining whether to generate an instruction to cause the secondprocessor portion to wake up. Satisfaction of the at least onetransition from low power state criterion typically involves determiningthat the received message includes, or conveys, more information thanthe mere fact that an incoming message was received by the firstprocessor portion. The template may include values, or one or moreranges of values, that information in the incoming message matches, orfalls within (typically if the criteria is a range of value), for adetermination of meeting, complying with, matching, or otherwisesatisfying the at least one transition from low power state criterion.

The at least one transition from low power state criterion may include alayer 2 physical address, a layer 3 logical address, one or more portidentifiers (initiating or destination), cryptographic information, atime stamp, a time-based value. The time-based value may be a valuederived from, or calculated based on, a time stamp such that when theinformation received in the incoming message, which may include the timestamp that was used to generate the time-based value at a device thatgenerated the message, may be used to calculate a time-based value atthe first processor portion. The first processor portion can determinewhether the calculated time-based value that it calculates (typicallyusing an algorithm that the sending device used to generate thetime-based value) matches the time based value received in the message,and the first processor may also determine that the time-stamp that maybe included in the received message falls within a predetermined rangeof the current time at the wireless device that includes the firstprocessor portion. In such a scenario, the current time of the firstprocessor portion, or a device in which it operates, may be consideredan at least one transition from low power state criterion; the algorithmto calculate the time-based value based on a time stamp received in theincoming message may be considered as an at least one transition fromlow power state criterion.

The at least one transition from low power state criterion may include aphysical address.

The received message is received via a default bearer. When the secondprocessor portion of a wireless communication is in a low power statethe wireless communication device that includes the second and firstprocessor portions would typically be in an ECM Idle and RCC idle mode,during which a dedicated bearer typically would not be established forthe wireless communication device.

In an aspect, the received message may be acted on (i.e., the firstprocessor portion determines that an at least one transition from lowpower state criterion has been satisfied) if it was transmitted during aDRX cycle that was initiated by an MME, SGW, or PGW. In another aspect,the first processor portion may not act on a received message if themessage was initiated during a DRX cycle by an eNodeB. This aspect mayprovide the advantage that a second processor of a wireless machinedevice that does not need to respond to emergency messages, such as maybe related to a storm, a missing child, etc., does not need totransition from a low power state unless a message is directed to it(i.e., door unlock message to a particular vehicle or message requestingsensor information from one or more sensors of a particular machinedevice), as compared to a second processor of a UE such as a smart phonethat may need to perform application processing related to a missingchild Amber Alert that may be broadcast from an eNodeB to all wirelessdevices that the eNodeB's signal can reach. Messages such as stormwarnings or Amber Alerts that are broadcast from an eNodeB during a DRXpaging cycle may be referred to having been broadcast during a broadcastDRX cycle. In an aspect, the first processor may determine that the atleast one transition from low power state criterion is not met during aDRX cycle unless the first processor determines that the receivedmessage was generated using non-access stratum signaling. Since nonaccess stratum signaling typically is not used with, or typically doesnot operate with, a wireless communication device that is in a state ofECM Idle and RRC idle, a flag, or bit, may be set to a predetermined NASsignaling indication value to indicate to the receiving first processor,by comparing the NAS signaling indication value to a transition from lowpower state criterion, that the second processor should transition froma low power state and process data that may arrive, perhaps over adedicated bearer, or perhaps over the existing best effort defaultbearer to the wireless communication device and the first processorportion.

In an aspect, the first processor portion and the second processorportion are a baseband processor portion and an application processorportion, respectively.

In an aspect, the first and second processor portions are parts of asingle user device, such as a wireless communication device, that may bea smart phone, a tablet, a medical device in a hospital, a vehicletelematics device, a vending machine, and the like.

In an aspect, the first and second processor portions are parts of asingle processor chip.

In an aspect, the first and second processor portions are separateprocessor chips coupled to shared circuitry.

In an aspect, the transition from low power state criterion is stored ina memory shared by, and accessible by, the first processor portion andthe second processor portion.

In an aspect, the first processor further evaluates the received messageto determine, based on the at least one transition from low power statecriterion, whether the received message relates to performing a functionthat requires that the second processor portion transition from a lowpower state.

In another aspect, a first processor portion of a wireless communicationdevice may perform a method, which may comprise determining whether toprovide an instruction to perform a function that requires a transitionfrom a low power state, wherein the determining includes comparing atleast a one aspect of the received message to at least one transitionfrom low power state criterion. The method may also comprise generatinga transition from low power state instruction if the at least one aspectof the received message satisfies the at least one transition from lowpower state criterion and providing the transition from low power stateinstruction.

In an aspect, the steps of the method may be performed by a firstprocessor portion, and the transition from low power state instructionmay be provided to a second processor portion.

In an aspect, the transition from low power state criterion may bestored in a shared data store that is accessible by the first processorportion and the second processor portion. In an aspect the transitionfrom low power state criterion may be a cryptographic key, a time-basedvalue, or other information that may be unique to an instruction thatwould be received in a message from a device that is authorized to causethe first processor portion to awaken the second processor portion.

In an aspect, the transition from low power state criterion includesawaken information that the second processor portion generated beforetransitioning to a low power state. An example is that the secondprocessor, or application processor, might generate a new wake-uptemplate, for example a template that only allows the device totransition from low power state in the event of a message from aspecific server based on an IP address or some other unique identifier.The first processor may have a wake-up reason mask that might includethings like firmware update, location determination request, fuel levelrequest, battery charge status request, pre-trip conditioning request,etc. The second processor might limit wake-up to a specific reason, forexample, to location determination request by setting a wake-up mask toblock other reasons and allowing a second processor wake-up based onlyon location determination. This mask may be loaded into the firstprocessor prior to the second processor portion transitioning to a lowpower state.

In an aspect, the second processor portion may generate a transitionfrom low power state criterion, or criteria, based on a shared value itreceives in a message, such as from a computer server that is associatedwith a wireless mobile network or from a computer server that may becoupled to a packet core network and that may provide a platform forcooperating with a machine device having the first and second processorportions in performing machine device operations. For example, a serverremote from a machine device, which machine device includes the firstand second processor portions, may generate, or obtain, a value such asa date, a random number, or other value, which value may be a one-timevalue, and provide the value/one-time value to an algorithm that alsohas as an input a stored secret value, such as a cryptographic key, andgenerate an output, which may be referred to as a derived key. Theserver may send, or share, the value/one-time value to the machinedevice, which may have the secret value, or a complement to the secretvalue, stored in a memory that the first or second processor portion canaccess. The machine device may store, or have stored, the secret value,secret key, or complement to the secret key/value in a SIM card, or SIMprofile. The first or second processor portion may evaluate the receivedvalue/one-time value, which may be referred to as a shared value, usingthe same algorithm and secret value, or complement of the secret value,as used by the server to derive the derived key, or derived value. Thefirst or second processor portion of the machine device may then providethe derived value, or derived key, as a transition from low power statecriterion before going into a low power state. A derived key, or derivedvalue, may have a predetermined life span (e.g., one day, one week, oneyear, etc.). Alternatively, a derived key/derived value may have aone-time-use life span. In the one-time-use lifespan scenario, theserver may derive a new/different derived key/value and share with themachine device the value/one-time value used to generate/derive thederived key/value during each period that the second processor portionis not in a low power state, and either the first processor, the secondprocessor, or SIM may generate and provide the transition from low powerstate criterion/criteria based on the received shared value. The firstor second processor portion, or the SIM, may provide the generatedderived value before the second processor portion enters a low powerstate based on the received shared value, or the entering of a low powerstate by the second processor portion may trigger the initiating of theprocess at the server to generate the shared value and generating of thederived key value, and the receiving of the shared value thereafter maytrigger either the first or second processor, or the SIM, ingenerating/deriving the derived value/key and storing it to a memory tobe used as a current transition from low power state criterion/criteriaas opposed to a previous or already-used criterion/criteria (i.e., acriterion already used in a comparison to a derived value/awakeninformation included in an awaken message). A current transition fromlow power state criterion/criteria is for use for future comparison to areceived derived value, which may be part of, or totally compose, anawaken message received from the server.

In an aspect, the shared secret may be a cryptographic key, which may bea cryptographic key stored in a SIM, SIM profile, or other memory of aUE device and also stored in a data store that uniquely associates thecryptographic key with the UE device, which data store is onlyaccessible by the server. The server may use the cryptographic key toencrypt the shared value before transmitting the shared value to the UEdevice, which can decrypt the encrypted shared value using thecryptographic key stored in the SIM, SIM profile, or other memory of theUE device. The UE device may use the cryptographic key to encrypt theshared value before transmitting the shared value to the server, whichcan decrypt the encrypted shared value using the cryptographic key thatis uniquely associated with the sending UE and that is stored in thedata store that only the server can access and retrieve thecryptographic key from. In an aspect, the server may reset an awaketimer to a predetermined awake period associated with the UE devicewhenever a communication between the server and UE device is received byor transmitted by the server. The predetermined awake period may be aperiod having a value that is uniquely associated with each of aplurality of UE devices, for example each of a plurality of telematicsUE devices managed by a telematics services provider's server thatcorrespond to a fleet of vehicles managed by a telematics servicesprovider. The predetermined awake period may be a period having a valuethat is uniquely associated with each of a group of a plurality of UEdevices, for example a group of a plurality of telematics UE devicesmanaged by a telematics services provider's server that correspond to agroup of a fleet of vehicles. For example, one group of a fleet may besedans managed by a manufacturers' telematics services provider, whichmay be an in-house telematics provider or a third-party telematicsprovider, and another group may be pickup trucks managed by amanufacturer's telematics services provider (the pickups' manufacturermay be the same manufacturer or a different manufacture than themanufacturer of the sedan group). The predetermined awake period valuemay be the same for the group of sedans' telematics UE devices and maybe a different value for the group of pickups' telematics UE devices.

The predetermined awake period to which the awake timer at the servermay be set may correspond to a predetermined awake period of a sleeptimer at a given UE device. The predetermined awake period of the UE'ssleep timer and the predetermined awake period of the awake timer at theserver may be substantially the same value, may be exactly the samevalue, or may not be substantially the same value. The server may beprogrammed with, or may be able to access from a data store, the UE'sawake period value. A UE device may be programmed with, or may be ableto access from a data store, the server's awake period value. Linkingthe awake period to which the awake timer at the server device may bereset with the awake period to which the sleep timer at the UE devicemay be reset by resetting each timer to exactly the same value, or tosubstantially the same value, upon a communication received from, ortransmitted to, the other device may facilitate the server incoordinating the transmitting of an awake message to a UE device whenthe UE device is likely in a low power state and when a message (otherthan an awaken message) needs to be transmitted to, and processed by,the UE device. (Variations between the value for the respectivepredetermined awake periods at the server and UE device may be made, oradjusted, to account for communication network delays or transmit timeof a communication from one device to the other.) Such linking mayfacilitate the server in not sending an awaken message from the serverto a UE device when a message (other than an awaken message) needs to betransmitted but when the UE device is likely not in a low power state.For example, if the predetermined awake period at the server has notcounted down to zero when the server needs to send a message (other thanan awaken message) to the UE device, transmitting an awaken message tothe UE should be unnecessary because the UE device should not beasleep—since the awake timer at the server and sleep timer at the UEdevice are reset substantially simultaneously to substantially the samevalue, or to exactly the same value, if the predetermined awake periodof the awake timer at the server has not counted down to zero (i.e.,hasn't expired) the predetermined awake period of the sleep timer at theUE device also hasn't counted down to zero and thus the UE device shouldnot be asleep (i.e., in a low power mode or state).

For example, when the server, such as a telematics server for example,transmits a message to a UE, which may be a smart phone, a telematicsdevice in a vehicle, or the like, even if the UE device is already‘awake,’ the server may reset the awake time to the predetermined awakeperiod. The predetermined awake time period may be arbitrarilydetermined by an operator of the server, for example a telematicsoperator whose telematics server manages a plurality of UE devices,according to an average period of inactivity of a UE device even whilethe UE device is in service (i.e., while a vehicle is operating on atrip or while a smart phone user is not asleep them self and isgenerally expecting the smartphone to be active). The predeterminedawake time period may be the same value for all UE devices managed bythe server, or the predetermined awake time period may be a unique valuefor one of, for each one of, or for more than one of the plurality of UEdevices.

After resetting the awake timer, the server may generate awakeninformation derived from a shared value and a stored secret value,wherein only the server and a single UE device, remote from the serverand managed by the server, can obtain the particular stored secret value(the particular stored secret value is unique to a given UE device), andmay transmit the awaken information in an awaken message to the UEdevice when the server determines that the UE device is in a low-powerstate and should exit the low power state, for example to receive amessage that needs to be delivered to the UE device (for example amessage received by the server that is intended for delivery to the UEdevice or a message that the server may generate to send to the UEdevice) and based on the awake timer having expired, wherein the awakeninformation contained in an awaken message transmitted from the serverto the UE is to be used by the UE device to exit the low power statewhen the awaken information matches a transition from low power statecriterion. As an example, a telematics service operator's server may setthe predetermined awake period for a given telematics vehicle device UEto ten minutes when it transmits a communication to the UE. If a messageis received at, or generated by, the telematics server for forwarding tothe UE five minutes later, the telematics server would transmit themessage to the telematics UE and reset the awake timer to thepredetermined awake period of ten minutes. However, if a message to betransmitted to a telematics UE device of a vehicle is received at thetelematics server eleven minutes after a resetting of the awake timer tothe predetermined awake period of ten minutes, the telematics server maytransmit an awaken message that is generated based on a shared valuethat is shared with the UE device and based on a stored secret valuethat only the server and the UE have access to. When the telematicsserver transmits the awaken message to the vehicle telematics device, orother type of UE device, the telematics server may again reset the awaketime to ten minutes. The resetting of the awake timer may occursubstantially simultaneously with the transmitting of an awake message,the transmitting of another type of message, or the receiving of amessage from a given UE device associated with the awake timer'spredetermine awake period. It will be appreciated that the resetting ofthe awake timer may occur slightly before or slightly after thetransmitting of an awake message, the transmitting of another type ofmessage, or the receiving of a message from a given UE device, typicallywithin a few milliseconds, but this time between the resetting of theawake timer and the transmitting of an awake message, the transmittingof another type of message, or the receiving of a message from a givenUE device could be more than a few milliseconds and still be consideredsubstantially simultaneously with the transmitting of an awake message,the transmitting of another type of message, or the receiving of amessage from a given UE device. Examples of an incoming message, or amessage that the server may generate, include messages from aninitiating device, such as a user's smart phone, a tablet, a key fob,that request an action of the UE, or a machine coupled with the UE, suchas a vehicle coupled to a telematics device via a communication bus ofthe vehicle or via a wireless link substantially local to the vehicle.Other examples of an incoming message, or a message that the server maygenerate, include messages from message requesting a download of asoftware update to the UE or to a machine coupled thereto (i.e., amodule coupled to a communication bus of a vehicle), a message to checklocation information of UE, a message to check insurance-relatedinformation for an insurance provider server, a message to check vehiclediagnostic information for a telematics services provider's server, andthe like.

In an aspect a computer device, such as a telematics server, a machinedevice services server, a component of a evolved packet corecommunication network, or the like, may perform a method that comprisesreceiving information that a second processor portion of a wirelessmachine device has transitioned to a low power state; transmitting amessage to the wireless machine device that includes a first processorportion and the second processor portion; wherein the message includesawaken information for comparison to at least one transition from lowpower state criterion; wherein the at least one transition from lowpower state criterion is stored in a memory that may be shared betweenthe first processor portion and the second processor portion; whereinthe message includes an instruction to perform a function by the secondprocessor portion; and wherein the message is intended to cause thefirst processor portion to cause the second processor portion totransition from a low power state when the awaken information matchesthe transition from the at least one low power state criterion.

In an aspect, the computer device that receives the information that thesecond processor portion of a wireless machine device has transitionedto a low power state may be one of: an MME, an S-GW, a P-GW, an HSS, anAAA, an ePDG, an ANDSF, a PCRF, an e-SMLC, a GMLC.

In an aspect, the awaken information includes a PLMN list identifier. Inan aspect, the PLMN list identifier may identify a preferred PLMN list,which may be stored in the wireless communication, that lists apreferred order of mobile network operators for the wirelesscommunication device to use for high-volume, high-bandwidth services,such as consumer services like audio and video streaming, that are notnecessarily associated with a wireless mobile network that the firstprocessor portion has established a current default bearer with.

In an aspect, the awaken information includes an identifier of a SIMprofile of the machine device that is associated with machine-centricservices and that is not associated with consumer-centric services.Examples of machine-centric services include typically low-volume, lowbandwidth services that may include over-the-air software updates for amachine that the wireless communication device is coupled with, such asa vehicle, a vending machine, or a medical device, or software updatesfor the wireless communication device itself.

In an aspect, which may provide a fall-back, fail-over, or other type ofback-up message delivery mechanism for delivery of an awaken message, oranother type of message, a server sets an expected response timer to apredetermined expected response period when transmitting the awakenmessage to a UE device according to a first format and a first protocol,wherein the awaken message is a first awaken message. An awaken messagemay include awaken information derived from a shared value sharedbetween the server and the UE device and derived from a stored secretvalue that only the server and the UE device can access.

Typically, the first format and first protocol may preferably be adatagram transmitted in a message according to a protocol such as UserDatagram Protocol. An expected response may be a reply datagram from theUE device that the UE device has exited a low power state, or that itperformed an action that was requested of it in an action requestmessage sent to it from the server. The expected reply may be a messagegenerated by the UE device received at the server, or received fromanother network device, indicative of the UE device exiting a low powerstate. Such a reply typically happens within two seconds, so theexpected response period may be set to three seconds, although anoperator of the server may select another value for the predeterminedexpected response period.

If the server does not receive a response in reply to the transmittingof an awaken message within the predetermined expected response periodthat follows the transmitting of the awaken message, or other type ofmessage, the server may generate a second awaken message that includesthe awaken information that was transmitted in the first awaken messageand then the server may transmit the second awaken message to the UEdevice according to a second protocol that is different from the firstprotocol.

In an aspect, examples of the second protocol are: Short Message Service(“SMS”), Multimedia Messaging Service (“MMS”), Mobile TerminatedIncoming Call (“MTIC”), Rich Communications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (amessaging protocol used by Apple® iPhone® devices), IP multimediaSubsystem (“IMS”), or Session Initiated Protocol (“SIP”). Other similarprotocols that are different from the first protocol may be used.

In an aspect, the first awaken message is transmitted according to an IPdata protocol that is not one of: Short Message Service (“SMS”),Multimedia Messaging Service (“MMS”), Mobile Terminated Incoming Call(“MTIC”), Rich Communications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (a messagingprotocol used by Apple® iPhone® devices), IP multimedia Subsystem(“IMS”), or Session Initiated Protocol (“SIP”).

In an aspect, the UE device evaluates the contents of a message receivedaccording to the second protocol to determine whether the contentsthereof include awaken information to compare to a transition from lowpower state criterion. The UE devices may not perform any action basedon contents of a message received according to the second protocol ifthe contents do not include awaken information. For example, if thesecond protocol is SMS, and the UE device receives an SMS message thatcontains contents that are unrelated to causing the UE device totransition from a low power state of operation to a higher power stateor operation, (e.g., the contents of the SMS message are a textmessage), a first processor portion of the UE device may decline toinstruct another portion of the UE device, such as an applicationprocessor, to exit a low power state. In another aspect, if thesecond-protocol message includes awaken information, the first processorstill may not instruct the application processor, or other portion, toexit a low power state if the awaken information does not match atransition from low power state criterion stored in the UE device. In anaspect, if the second-protocol message includes awaken information mayinstruct the application processor, or other portion, to exit a lowpower state if the awaken information matches a transition from lowpower state criterion stored in the UE device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a table that summarizes EMM, ECM and RRC states foran LTE wireless UE device.

FIG. 2 illustrates a state table of an LTE device showing various EMM,ECM and RRC states

FIG. 3 illustrates various states of an LTE device and the userexperiences corresponding to each of those states.

FIG. 4 illustrates a network diagram for wireless communication with aUE device having first and second processor portions.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for a first processorcausing a second processor to transition from a low power state duringwhich the first processor can listen for, receive, and process messages.

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a wireless UE communicationdevice, which may be smart phone or which may be a non-consumer machinedevice, having first and second processor portions.

FIG. 7 illustrates incoming message information that matches transitionfrom low power criteria.

FIG. 8 illustrates incoming message information that does not matchtransition from low power criteria.

FIG. 9 illustrates comparing cryptographic information generated basedon information in an incoming message to a transition from low powertemplate.

FIG. 10 illustrates comparing information received in an incomingmessage to a transition from low power template mask that includes anignore address range mask.

FIG. 11 illustrates an aspect where different information in differentcorresponding messages may satisfy transition from low power statecriteria for different layers in a UE, or for more than one processorthat may be in a low power state.

FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C illustrate smart phones having a basebandprocessor for managing network communications and a separate applicationprocessor for delivering the user experience and to manage alternativeradio access technologies and GPS.

FIG. 13 illustrates a typical baseband processor for managing mobilenetwork communications.

FIG. 14 illustrates a ‘system-on-a-chip’ solution for managing both themobile network communications and the applications processing fordelivering the user experience and to manage alternative radio accesstechnologies and GPS.

FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrate modern smartphone architecture using a SOCshown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 illustrates a high-level block diagram for a SOC with adual-core application processing subsystem as well as the basebandprocessor for managing mobile network communications.

FIG. 17 illustrates the typical external RF components required foreither the complex SOC with baseband as well as applications processingor the simpler baseband processor.

FIG. 18 illustrates a modern, sophisticated Qualcomm Snapdragonmulticore mobile handset processor utilizing a SOC that contains thebaseband processing, multiple application core processors andgraphical/user-interface processor.

FIG. 19 illustrates a modem similar to FIG. 18 but includes moreapplication cores and more processing for the graphical/user-interface.

FIG. 20 illustrates the Snapdragon power and clock distribution on theleft as compared to typical SOC mobile processors on the right.

FIG. 21 illustrates the Discontinuous Receive function as defined by3GPP for LTE.

FIG. 22 illustrates the relative amount of power required for operatingeach core.

FIG. 23 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for implementing analternative messaging fall-back aspect when a confirmation that a firstawaken message transmitted according to a primary messaging protocol isnot received.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As a preliminary matter, it will be readily understood by those personsskilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broadutility and application. Many methods, embodiments, and adaptations ofthe present invention other than those herein described as well as manyvariations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparentfrom or reasonably suggested by the substance or scope of the presentinvention.

Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein indetail in relation to preferred embodiments, it is to be understood thatthis disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the presentinvention and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full andenabling disclosure of the invention. The following disclosure is notintended nor is to be construed to limit the present invention orotherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations,modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention beinglimited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.

In the GPRS and LTE data worlds, an active data session is known as apacket data protocol (“PDP”) context session or a Bearer Setup. Aspreviously mentioned, a mobile device establishes a packet data sessionto a specific endpoint. The specific endpoint is a gateway/firewall toget to the broader public Internet or it may be to a gateway/firewall toan established enterprise IP connection. Generally speaking, a PDPcontext is established to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (“GGSN”) for GSMand UMTS networks or, in the 4G/LTE network, an Evolved Packet System(“EPS”) Bearer Setup is established to a Packet Data Network Gateway(“PGW”).

For a UMTS or GSM device, the network data session is established withthe PDP Context Activation procedure. But, before the PDP context can beestablished, a User Equipment (“UE”) device must do an Attach procedure.The Attach procedure is used to alert the Serving GPRS Support Node(“SGSN”) and subsequently the HLR/HSS that the UE has powered up. Thereis not much the UE can do after an Attach without requesting a PDPcontext. But, the UE is available to receive an SMS or a NetworkInitiated PDP Context. Currently there are not many operators supportingSMS over the packet network and almost no operators support NetworkInitiated PDP Context because there are not established methods torequest the Serving GPRS Support Node (“SGSN”) to generate a NetworkInitiated PDP Context without using a predefined public static IPaddress assigned to the given UE device.

Normally a UMTS or GSM device will complete the Attach procedure andimmediately initiate a PDP Context Activation that will establish thedata session and network tunnels, and allocate an IP address to the UE.The UE will retain the IP address as long as the device continues totransmit or receive data from the GGSN, but as soon as the data stopsflowing, after predetermined inactivity timeout period, typically aboutan hour, the SGSN or GGSN can terminate the PDP context. The UE can alsosend a Deactivate PDP context to the SGSN and terminate the session atany time. Once the PDP Context is deactivated, as is the normaloperation currently, the UE must reinitiate the PDP Context activationprocedure.

For a LTE based system, there are two types of data session setups. Thefirst is called a Default EPS Bearer. The second is the Dedicated EPSBearer. The Default EPS Bearer is established as part of the Attachprocedure. When a UE application needs to establish an application dataservice, a Dedicated EPS Bearer will need to be established. The LTEAttach/Default EPS Bearer is the equivalent of the UMTS Attach. Onemajor difference is that the default bearer in LTE comes with an IPaddress where a UMTS or GSM Attach does not assign an IP address. TheLTE Dedicated EPS Bearer setup is similar to the PDP Context Activation.

For UMTS or GSM, the IP address is not assigned until the UE initiates aPDP Context Activation. In LTE, the default bearer, and hence the IPaddress of the UE on the default bearer, both remain as long as the UEis attached. For UMTS or GSM, the IP address disappears with the loss ofthe PDP Context, which happens due to inactivity, typically after aboutan hour of inactivity. For LTE, the IP address remains as long as thedevice does not specifically detach from the network for one of severalof reasons. For GSM/UMTS and LTE devices, the only way to maintain a PDPContext or dedicated bearer for application data is to continue to passdata between the UE and the GGSN or PGW.

Although the above paragraphs provide a simplified description of LTEconnection states, more details are discussed below. No attempt is madeherein to teach the complete details of the aforementioned GSM/UMTS andLTE wireless network specifications, but enough details are discussedbelow to provide a framework for discussing aspects and embodimentsdisclosed herein.

LTE devices have numerous operating states and functions for describingthe attachment of UE to the network. Some of those functions are part ofthe Evolved Packet System (“EPS”) Mobility Management (“EMM”) functions;some of those functions are part of the EPS Session Management (“ESM”)functions.

EMM connection management is performed through the EPS ConnectionManagement (“ECM”) function, and an ECM connection consists of a RadioResource Control (“RRC”) connection over a radio interface and signalingconnections over network interfaces.

To better understand the operating states of a given UE operating in anLTE environment, each of the states is shown in the table of FIG. 1. Atthe simplest level, RRC has two states, RRC-IDLE and RRC-CONNECTED.Simply put, RRC-IDLE is the state when no radio interface connection isestablished yet and RRC-CONNECTED is when the radio has establishedsignaling connections with the wireless network. At power-on, a UE movesfrom RRC-IDLE to RRC-CONNECTED. Radio resources facilitatecommunications between the UE and the network. Without radio signalingconnections, the ECM connection cannot be established

Examining the table of FIG. 3, the network functionality and userexperience at the UE is described at each state of operation. Case A isthe condition immediately after the UE is powered-on after a long periodof being powered-off. The radio interface connection in the UE is idleand no ECM connection can be established until the RRC-CONNECTED stateis reached by the radio interface. In this initial state, the usercannot send or receive any data. Normally, if a radio network isavailable, the phone searches the airwaves and finds this radio networkvery quickly and moves to Case C.

Continuing on the table of FIG. 3, with Case C, the UE attaches to thenetwork and establishes a default bearer and performs a tracking areaupdate and establishes a dedicated bearer if a UE application requiresthe dedicated bearer to pass specific data. The device itself managesthe mobility of the device. As long as the device remains within thedefined tracking area, as currently established with the network, nospecific network level communications are required. The tracking areacan be as small as a cell or as large as a city, for example, dependingon how the network operator defines it. User data can be passed betweenthe network and the device. As noted in the table, this state is theEMM-REGISTERED state.

From the table of FIG. 3, Case D is the condition when the network, theUE, or the application, do not have any data to pass in eitherdirection. After sitting idle for some period of time, usually on theorder of an hour, the radio interface connection will drop to idle andwithout a communications path, the ECM moves to the idle state. As longas the device does not move beyond the tracking area as determined bythe UE listening to the eNodeB data channel, the UE can remain in thisstate. While in this state, the UE remains attached but the applicationcannot pass data traffic in either direction.

To move from Case D back to Case C, one of three events must happen. Asmentioned previously, the device can travel out of the tracking area.The device itself recognizes the change in the tracking area and movesthe UE to Case C to begin a Tracking Area Update (“TAU”) procedure. TheTAU procedure updates the Mobility Management Entity (“MME”), which isresponsible for managing the network side of the device mobility. Also,as previously mentioned, an application on the UE may ask for a dataconnection and once this application initiates the data request, the UEwill transition to Case C. The third event that can force the deviceback to Case C from Case D occurs when the MME generates networksignaling to the UE. The network signaling could be because of anincoming voice call, an incoming SMS, or an incoming data packet.

Although transitioning between Case C and Case D is important in themanagement of the device mobility, transitioning back to Case A or CaseB is generally less relevant to aspects disclosed herein.

Turning to FIG. 2, once the power-on condition initiates UE processes,the UE “ATTACHES” to the network. The radio signaling connections areestablished and ECM connections are established. The ECM-CONNECTED stateis when Non-Access Stratum (“NAS”) signaling connections are establishedon the radio communications link. The UE has been assigned physicalresources, radio resources and network resources. Upon transitioning tothe RRC-CONNECTED/ECM-CONNECTED state, the UE will be consideredEMM-REGISTERED when the default bearer is established, an IP address isassigned to the UE, and the network knows the current location (asdefined by the tracking area) of the UE.

As long as the UE continues to transmit or receive data messages, thenthe device will remain in the ECM-CONNECTED/RRC-CONNECTED state. Aftersome period of UE inactivity, the UE moves to an ECM-IDLE/RRC-IDLEstate. This state, although seemingly similar to the state prior topower-on at Case A or Case B, is different in that the device activelymonitors the network and reselects new cells as required to maintainreception of a cell data channel. Basically, the UE is “ATTACHED” (orEMM-REGISTERED) and waiting for either new data traffic, whether it ismobile originated (“MO”) or MT data traffic. The UE is also monitoringthe tracking area, which is a cell or group of cells, as assigned anddefined by the network during the ECM-CONNECTED/RRC-CONNECTED state, fora change to another cell outside the tracking area. It is important thatthe UE detect the change and notify the network of its new location sothat the device might be “signaled” for an incoming call, incoming SMSor network originated data session. If the UE detects new on-boardapplication data traffic or it changes itself to a cell outside of thenetwork defined tracking area, the UE will move to theECM-CONNECTED/RRC-CONNECTED state (Case C). Once in theECM-CONNECTED/RRC-CONNECTED state, the UE will update the network withits new location and the UE will synchronize with the network on a newtracking area. A UE device in a static location could potentially remainin the ECM-IDLE/RRC-IDLE state and EMM-REGISTERED for an indefiniteperiod of time.

Any time a UE, in the aforementioned EMM-REGISTERED mode, begins apower-off procedure or it encounters a radio link failure, the UEreturns to the EMM-DEREGISTERED (or UNATTACHED) mode.

The most important part of the description above relates to theEMM-REGISTERED mode and the transition from ECM-CONNECTED to ECM-IDLEstates. Repeating the description above, the UE moves from ECM-CONNECTEDstate to ECM-IDLE state based on UE data inactivity. The UE moves fromthe ECM-IDLE state to the ECM-CONNECTED state based on new dataactivity.

Similar to the UMTS/GPRS Network Initiated PDP context, LTE supports anetwork initiated “connection” transitioning UE from theECM-IDLE/RRC-IDLE state to the ECM-CONNECTED/RRC-CONNECTED state. Thistransition can only occur if the UE is already EMM-REGISTERED. In orderto initiate the transition of states in the UE, the PGW initiatesnetwork traffic to the UE, via another node, the Serving Gateway(“SGW”), which is a data node similar in function to a SGSN in a GSMnetwork, where the SGW node kicks off the connection process if the UEis not already in the ECM-CONNECTED/RRC-CONNECTED state. Once the SGWreceives the specific data packet destined to the UE, if a link is notestablished to the UE via the Evolved NODE B (“eNodeB”) (this is the LTEcell site radio equipment), the SGW communicates with the MobilityManagement Entity (“MME”) to generate the appropriate Downlink DataNotification message to the eNodeB to establish the RRC connection withthe UE. Once in the RRC-CONNECTED state, the UE can transition from theECM-IDLE state to the ECM-CONNECTED state (i.e., the UE has establisheda connected state for purposes of communicating data), the data packetcan be delivered to the UE.

The LTE UE normally establishes the RRC connection when the end-userstarts an application to browse the Internet or sends an email.Similarly, the LTE UE establishes an RRC connection if the UE moves intoa new Tracking Area and has to complete the Tracking Area Update. Thenetwork triggers an RRC connection by sending a paging message. This istypically used to allow the delivery of an incoming data, SMS ornotification of an incoming voice call. The paging message istransferred on a Common Control Channel (“CCCH”), which is broadcastover all eNodeB sites within the Tracking Area if the RRC connection isnot established.

In the LTE environment, a dedicated bearer is requested (and assigned)to a UE whenever the UE needs a dedicated tunnel for one or morespecific traffic types or applications. For example, VoIP, or videoservices which need a guaranteed bit rate and quality of service toprovide a better user experience than the default bearer can support,will be assigned a dedicated bearer. Dedicated bearers can providespecial treatment for specific services by providing a guaranteed bitrate where the default bearer cannot provide that dedicated bit rate.Dedicated bearers can provide separation between IP Multimedia Subsystem(“IMS”) network traffic, the wireless network function that providesvoice and SMS services, and routine Internet traffic. The dedicatedbearer is normally linked to a default bearer and can have the same IPaddress as the linked default bearer.

Based on previous details of the existing GSM/UMTS or LTE systems, oneskilled in the art can clearly understand that devices are currentlydesigned to operate, in a general sense, in a DATA-CONNECTED and aDATA-DISCONNECTED state. Without data traversal between the UE and thenetwork during a predetermined period, the UE moves to aDATA-DISCONNECTED state after the period elapses. While operating in theDATA-DISCONNECTED state, the UE device consumes significantly lowerpower, advantageously uses less network resources, and consumes lessdata than when it is operating in the DATA-CONNECTED state. Having thenetwork force the UE into a DATA-DISCONNECTED state immediately aftercommunications are completed, or having the UE move itself to theDATA-DISCONNECTED state after communications are completed, aspectsdisclosed herein of initiating a DATA-CONNECTED state from the networkside (i.e., from a public communications network that is coupled to aprivate network operated by a IOT operator, provides a significantadvantage to IOT operators. With lower power consumption that aspectsdisclosed herein can provide, new battery powered devices andapplications can emerge. Additionally, extending and coordinatingDiscontinuous Receive (“DRX”) parameter values between the UE and thedevice can extend standby time of low power battery devices. Further,the details show that methods currently exist for the network toinitiate a connection to transfer the UE to the DATA-CONNECTED state.U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/093,560 demonstrates practicalmethods to induce the wireless network to initiate a connection to theUE to allow downlink data to be initially passed and subsequently allowbi-directional data transfers between a server and a wirelesscommunications device.

Power management in wireless communications devices has been one of themost studied sciences among the development aspects of wireless chipsetsand handset design. Not only is the chipset design critical, applicationof that chipset, and software controlling that chipset is critical. Evenuser interface preference setting can have a major effect on handsetbattery life. Something as simple as screen brightness or backlighttiming can have significant effects on the power required to operatehandsets and smartphones. Many different system architectures have beencreated to maximize the capabilities of the battery poweredcommunications device while extending the battery life to an acceptablelength of time for typical users. Over time, system level enhancementshave enabled the small smartphone to increase both computing capabilityand graphical user experience all the while increasing the battery life.

FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C show block diagrams of examples of WWANcommunications devices (cell phone) that have a dedicated basebandprocessor as well as a secondary applications processor managing theuser interface, graphical display, touch input, camera and secondaryradios like WiFi and Bluetooth. The baseband processor manages all RFcontrol functions, analog to digital conversion, and network accessservices. The baseband processor manages OSI model Layer 1, Layer 2 andLayer 3, which comprises the Physical Layer, Data Link Layer and NetworkLayer. The Network Layer provides variable length byte sequences calleddatagrams to Layer 4 in the Applications Processor. These example blockdiagrams use two physically different integrated circuit processors.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an example baseband processor that mightbe used in a design as shown in FIG. 15B.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of an example WWAN system-on-chip [SOC]design that combines the dedicated baseband processor of FIG. 13 withthe application processor into a single system-on-chip. The functionsshow on this diagram show a discrete Layer 1, Layer 2 and Layer 3controllers, each interconnected to provide baseband network functions.The I/O for the baseband functions are interconnected to a co-locatedCortex A processor to provide support multimedia and applicationsprocessing as well as the management of secondary Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS,NFC and FM radios. Such a design allows the baseband processor to managethe processing intensive interface to the mobile communications networkwhile leaving nearly all the bandwidth of applications processor fordelivering user functionality, services and computationally intensiveapplications.

FIG. 15A is a block diagram for an example modern smart phone showingthe previously mentioned (or similar) SOC processor. To be noted is thatthe baseband processing is separated from the applications and userinterface processing.

FIG. 16 shows a block diagram of an example SOC design that has twoCortex A-9 application processors in addition to the baseband processor.

FIG. 17 shows a block diagram of the external functions and componentsthat are combined with a single chip SOC for realization of acommunications device.

FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 show block diagrams of modern SOC designs supportingbaseband processing, multiple core application processing andadditionally a core supporting graphics processing.

In the cases above, most significantly to be noted is that a separatededicated modem-processing core exists to handle the baseband processingof the mobile communications device. In almost every case, the basebandprocessing is handled thru Layer 2 or Layer 3 of the OSI model. As thesophistication of the mobile applications increases, modern SOC designshave added processing cores to facilitate the management and delivery ofthose applications. During time of peak usage, when higher processingrequirements demand more computing power, more cores are enabled todeliver that computing power. Managing the power supply current becomesa major factor for multi-core processors. As such, newer SOCs have beendesigned to support power management of the cores, stopping the clocksand removing the power from the unused cores.

FIG. 20 shows a block diagram of a modern Qualcomm Snapdragon mobileprocessor power and clock distribution subsystem where power and theclock for each application-processing core can be independentlycontrolled based upon the need in the application processing subsystem.

In an effort to achieve maximum battery life while maintaining areasonable customer experience, the aforementioned Discontinuous ReceiveFunction (“DRX”) was specified in the 3GPP specification. The DRXfunction allows the baseband processor to suspend processing for shortperiods of time by coordinating the signaling messages from the networkwith the sleep period of the baseband processor. This power savings isdone at the expense of the device response time; specifically, thedevice response time for incoming calls, or SMS messages. FIG. 21 showsa ladder diagram of the DRX feature in a typical UE-networkimplementation. Since user data sessions are typically UE-initiated andcontrolled by the applications processor, most applications, email, andapplication notifications will occur in real time or near real time.

Each of the above diagrams highlight the discrete baseband processingsubsystem and application processing subsystem used in modern SOCs formobile communication devices. Since many of these devices aresophisticated processing devices with complex operating systems, almostall communications between the network and the mobile devices are basedon Internet Protocol [IP]. Typically, the IP stack above layer 3 isimplemented in at least one of the application processors. To facilitateIP communications, at least one of the application processing cores mustbe powered and clocked to process the incoming datagrams from layer 3 inthe baseband processor subsystem. Operating the application-processingcore will require power.

Turning to FIG. 22 one can see that each uses at least 300 mW of powerat the peak operating frequency. Operating at a slower operatingfrequency, each core requires at least 100 mW of power. If it ispossible to suspend the single application-processing core handling thecommunications above layer 3 of the OSI model, then some power can besaved in application where lower power usage is critical to theapplication.

For IoT applications that require an on-demand connection to a wirelessdevice, reducing the power requirements of the device could be critical,especially if the device is truly a mobile device and powered bybatteries for a significant part of its life.

LTE devices establish and maintain a dedicated bearer-IP connectionbetween the PGW and mobile device. Since part of that mobile devicerequires an application processor to manage and route the IP messageswithin the device itself the application processor is powered andclocked. In many modern SOCs, the baseband processor has excessprocessing capability but not enough excess processing capability tomanage the entire IP stack. When a device is powered on and the deviceis EMM-REGISTERED with an Attach procedure, the MME has knowledge of theUE location, to at least the accuracy of the tracking area listallocated to that UE. Further, the UE will have at least one active PDNconnection, as well as an EPS security context.

When GSM/UMTS devices attach to the network, the HLR has knowledge ofthe UE location, but unless specifically requested, no PDP context, andhence IP address exist, unless a permanent IP address is assigned to thedevice.

Since the methods of operating a wireless device using network-initiatedsignaling are understood and previously disclosed, this disclosurehighlights ways minimize power consumption of LTE and GSM/UMTS devices.Internal to the chip and the mobile device, the best way to minimizepower consumption is to minimize clock speed of active subsystems andpower off other subsystems. Maintaining an active applications processordemands unnecessary power. Shifting certain functions to the basebandprocessor could eliminate the need to power an applications processor,but the IP functionality might be lacking.

Shutting down the applications processor until any incoming datagram isreceived and presented from the baseband processor to the applicationsprocessor may have merits, but a disadvantage is that incoming data isnot screened before shifting the application processor of the mobiledevice to a high-power mode to fully receive and analyze the incomingdata as well as potentially respond to the incoming message.

A better solution, as disclosed herein, is to enable the basebandprocessor to analyze the incoming datagram before performing anythingthat increases the power consumed by the UE device beyond the minimalrequired for baseband processing. The solution could include conditionsestablished prior to the application processor entering the low powermode. The solution could include permanent conditions or temporarilyestablished conditions to screen incoming datagrams before the basebandprocessor wakes the application processor.

In an aspect, a server and a UE device may share a shared value beforethe UE enters a low power state. Or, the server and UE device may sharethe shared value in an awaken message transmitted from the server to theUE after the UE has entered a low power state. The shared value may beused in conjunction with a stored secret value to derive awakeninformation at the server before the UE device enters a low power state,for which low power state the awaken information will be compared with atransition from low power state criterion by the UE to determine thatthe UE should exit the low power state when the awaken informationmatches the transition from low power state criterion. Or, the sharedvalue may be used in conjunction with a stored secret value to deriveawaken information at the server after the UE device enters a low powerstate. The UE device may generate the transition from low power statecriterion, based on the shared value and stored secret value, beforegoing into the low power state, upon receiving the shared value in theawaken message after the UE device has entered the low power state, orat any other time after the UE device has entered the low power state.

The Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI model) is a model thatcharacterizes and standardizes the communication functions of atelecommunication or computing system without regard to the underlyinginternal structure and technology. A layer serves the layer above it andis served by the layer below it. Although wireless devices may notalways be implemented by the strictest definition of the OSI model, mostare close. As most follow this model, the baseband processor almostalways provides the Layer 1, Physical Layer and Layer 2, the Data LinkLayer. Layer 3, the Network Layer may or may not be implemented in thebaseband processor. In either case, a baseband processor can be operatedin such a way that a template comparing the received datagram to anactionable datagram is possible. If implemented at Layer 2, theaddressing may be using physical addresses, for example, and largemessages may be segmented, but incoming messages can be evaluated andcompared to a template message or messages. If Layer 3 is implemented inthe baseband processor, then the messages may be mapped to logicaladdresses and the messages fragments may be assembled properly.

Although functionally possible and open for consideration, high layerscould be implemented in the baseband processor and messages from thoselayers could also be compared to the template or templates for use as atrigger to wake up various additional power consuming subsystems withinthe mobile device.

An ideal minimalist solution would be to examine the incoming Layer 3messages to see if the messages originated from an authorized anddefined server and were from a specific pre-defined power and weredestined to a specific pre-defined port. Upon receipt of the messagefrom the proper address and port, to a specific predefined port, withanything else within the message ignored, the baseband processor couldforward some notification or activate some hardware control signal toenable the clocks and power for the applications processor on the mobiledevice, whether the device was a SOC or the device was one of severalphysical discrete processors implemented on the mobile device.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the figure illustrates a communications networkenvironment 2. Evolved Packet Core network 4 (“EPC”) connects a wirelesscommunication device 6 with Internet 8 via Access Point Name definedendpoint 10. Access Point Name 10 typically has a unique identifier,which may include a unique friendly name that corresponds to a uniquemachine-understandable identifier (i.e., a name that is meaningful tohumans and that uniquely corresponds to a unique identifier, such as aMAC address or internet protocol (“IP”) address), and which may bereferred to as Access Point Name (“APN”) herein. Wireless device 6 maybe one of a plurality of types of devices, including a consumer userequipment device (e.g., smart phone, tablet, PC, and the like), amachine device such as a vending machine, a refrigerator, a gate, adoor, a camera, and the like. Another example of a machine device is avehicle telematics device that may be coupled to a communication bus ofa vehicle for providing connectivity of a vehicle, and computer modulesthereof (as well as user equipment devices). Reference herein to a userequipment device (“UE”) may be, or may be understood to be, a referenceto wireless device 6.

UE 6 typically communicates (i.e., receives messages from and transmitsmessages to) with EPC network 4 via wireless link 12 via eNodeB 14,which represents a radio access network part of a Long Term Evolutionnetwork (“LTE”). ENodeB 14 communicates with Mobility Management Entity(“MME”) 16 and Serving Gateway (“SGW”) 18. Generally, MME 16 managessignaling between UE 6 and other components of network 4, including SGW18. SGW generally serves as a mobility anchor for data bearers fordevice 6 as the wireless device moves being connected to one eNodeB 14to being connected to a different eNodeB, among other functions. PacketData Network Gateway, or Packet Gateway (“PGW”) 20, generally manages IPaddresses for wireless device 6, among other functions. E-SMLC 22communicates with, and cooperates with MME 16, as do GMLC 24 and HSS 26.Policy Control Rules Function (“PCRF”) module 28 cooperates with PGW 20is determining and regulating packet flows through APN 10.

As discussed above, it may be desirable for device 6 to consume verysmall amounts of power when it is powered by a battery and is notactively processing packets and data in performing a function for auser. Thus, a first processor portion 30 may stay ‘awake’ so that device6 stays registered with network 4, but may be idle with respect to itsdata connection (e.g., UE device 6 is in RRC-IDLE mode, or state) vialink 12 to the EPC. First processor portion 30 may consume enough powerto ‘listen’ for an incoming message over link 12, and upon receiving amessage via the wireless link, the first processor portion may determinethat second processor portion 32 may need to transition from a low powerstate (e.g., UE device 6 transitions from RRC-IDLE to RRC-CONNECTED inan LTE network) so that it can perform functionality that firstprocessor portion 30 may not be configured to perform. First processorportion 30 and second processor portion may connect to, be coupled with,or may otherwise have the ability to access a shared memory 34. Memory34 may contain a template, or criteria, that first processor portion 30may compare with information, or data, received in a message via link 12to determine whether second processor portion 32 should exit a low powerstate, or transition from a low power state. Information contained inthe template, or contained in the criteria, that is used for thecomparison may be referred to as ‘transition from low power statecriterion’. If information contained in a message received by firstprocessor portion 30 matches, or satisfies, information in thetransition from low power state criterion, or template, the firstprocessor portion 30 may generate an instruction to transition from lowpower state and provide the instruction to second processor portion 32.Upon receiving the transition from low power state instruction fromprocessor 30, second processor 32 ‘awakens’, or exits a low power stateit may have entered to conserve power and begins processing data it mayreceive from first processor portion 30. First processor portion 30 maybe a baseband processor, or modem processor, and second processorportion 32 may be an application processor with greater processingcapability than the first processor portion. But, the modem processor 30may be able to operate with very low power consumption while ‘listening’for an incoming message via link 12. Application processor 32 typicallyhas greater processing capabilities than the baseband processor 30, withcorrespondingly greater power consumption than the baseband/modemprocessor. Both processors 30 and 32 may share memory 34. In an aspect,memory 34 may only accessible by modem processor 30. And, it will beappreciated that even if processors 30 and 32 share access to memory 34,application processor 32 typically would be unable to access memory 34while in a low power state. Furthermore, it will be appreciated thatwireless device 6 typically includes features not shown for purposes ofclarity, including a display, control buttons or pads, antennas, a GPSreceiver, various sensors that may be device-use-specific, such astemperature sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometers, moisturesensors, and the like. Any of the sensors could be used to generate asignal that either awakens second processor 32 directly, or thatprovides a trigger signal to first processor 30 that triggers thegenerating and providing of a transition from low power stateinstruction to cause the second processor 32 to exit a low power state.

In an aspect, first processor portion 30 may stay ‘awake’ so that device6 stays registered with network 4 and first processor portion may alsomaintain a data connection, for example RRC-CONNECTED in an LTE networkenvironment, via link 12 even though second processor portion 32 may bein a low power state. Such a scenario would still be considered andreferred to herein as a low power mode, or low power state, of UE device6. Thus, because second processor portion 32 may be idle, inactive, off,or otherwise in a low power state, the second processor would notconsume significant power even though first processor portion 30maintains a data connection with network 4, thus reducing overall powerconsumed by UE device 6 even though a data connection is maintained oractive between the UE and packet core network 4.

Turning now to FIG. 5, the figure illustrates a flow diagram of a method500 for a modem processor of a wireless communication device to awaken amore sophisticated application processor of the wireless communicationdevice from a low power state. Method 500 starts at step 505. At step510, a transition from low power state template is stored to a memorythat the modem processor, which may be referred to as a basebandprocessor or as a first processor (or first processor portion) canaccess. The application processor, which may be referred to as anapplication processor or as a second processor (or second processorportion), may also have the ability to access the memory that thetemplate is stored in. The template may include data or information thatmay be used to test whether message data contained in the messagereceived by the wireless communication device's front end radiocircuitry and processed by the first processor portion is intended by asender, or sending device, of the received message to cause the moresophisticated, and typically higher-power-using second processor, totransition from a low power state so that the second processor portionshigher sophistication can process data and information, which may bereceived from the first processor portion, which may be an applicationthat is stored locally on the wireless communication, or which may begenerated by sensors that are part of, or are coupled to, the wirelesscommunication device.

The transition from low power state template may be referred to as amask, such as may be used to filter a block of IP addresses. Such a maskmay be used to indicate that a received message was received from anapproved, or authorized, sender, or sending device, having an IP addressthat is within a range defined by the mask template. An authorizedsender or sending device may be a telematics services server, adriverless vehicle operator's server, a vending machine owner/operatorserver, or any other computer device than manages one or more remotewireless machine devices via a wireless network that can maintain aregistration to a device (i.e., maintain a default bearer between awireless device and an APN of the network) while radio resources anddata bearers (i.e., dedicated bearers) are idle.

The transition from low power state template may be a criterion, orcriteria, that data or information in a received message must meet,match, or satisfy, before a determination can be made that the sender ofthe message is a legitimate sender that has authorization to awaken thesecond processor, or cause the second processor portion to transitionfrom a low power state to a higher power state such that it can processapplication instructions and data. An example of a transition from lowpower state criteria may include a time stamp (if the time stamp in amessage is not within a predetermined range of a current time of thewireless communication device, or within a current time accessible bythe first processor portion (i.e., from a GPS receiver, from an externalclock, or from the wireless network to which it is registered)), thefirst processor portion may determine that the received message is notvalid and is not to be used as an impetus, or inducement, for causingthe second processor portion to transition from low power state. Anexample of a transition from low power state criteria may include acryptographic value, or a cryptographic key, such as a key value thatmatches, or that complements, a value stored in the memory, which may bea standalone memory such as a memory chip, or which memory may be amemory of a subscriber identity module (“SIM”), or SIM profile of thewireless communication device. Or, the cryptographic value may be basedon a time value/time stamp, location coordinates, APN of the wirelesscommunication network (such as APN 10 of network 4 shown in FIG. 4), orother value that an entity outside of the wireless communicationnetwork, or other than an entity authorized to interact with thewireless communication device, could not obtain or associate with thewireless communication device unless by chance or brute force.Alternatively, the criterion contained in the template could be the merereceipt of bits in a data field/section of a message, such as a TCP,UDP, or ICMP message, regardless of what information, if anything atall, that the bits in the data field of the message convey.

Continuing with discussion of FIG. 5, at step 515 the first processorenters a ‘listening’ mode. The first processor typically enters alistening mode when the second processor has ‘gone to sleep’, or entereda low power state, or entered a no power state. The listening mode maycorrespond to a status between the wireless communication network andthe wireless communication device as EMM registered, but RCC Idle andECM Idle, which status would correspond to no data packets flowing fromor to the wireless communication device that require processing by thesecond processor portion.

At step 520, while in listening mode, the first processor receives amessage from the wireless communication network. The received messagemay be a message from the wireless network that relates to maintainingtracking of the wireless communication device, which typically would notbe a cause to awaken the second processor portion because the firstprocessor portion (i.e., baseband or modem processor), typically canhandle providing information to an MME, or similar, of the wirelesscommunication network via non-access stratum messaging protocols.

At step 525, the first processor portion analyzes the message receivedat step 520. Such analysis may include determining whether the messageis a message related to, for example, bearer management or tracking areaupdate procedures. If the message received at step 520 is related toroutine EMM registered procedures, for example, the first processor maydetermine at step 530 that the received message, or bits thereof, do notmeet a transition from low power state criterion and return to listenmode at step 515 after performing whatever routine procedures may havebeen requested in the message received at step 520.

However, if the message at step 520 does not relate to routineprocedures that the first processor typically is configured to handle byitself, the first processor may compare the message informationevaluated at step 525 to a transition from low power state criterion, ortemplate, at step 530. It will be appreciated that the first processor,or the transition from low power state template, may be configured todetermine at step 520 that any message received and processed by thefirst processor, regardless of the information or data contents of themessage, satisfy a transition from low power state criterion at step530.

As discussed above, if information or date contained in the messagereceived at step 520 meet, match, satisfy, pass through a mask, orotherwise pass a test corresponding to the criterion, or criteria, ofthe transition from low power state template, the first processorfollows the ‘Y’ path from block 53 as shown in the figure. Examples ofsatisfaction of the test at step 530 are illustrated in FIGS. 7-11 andare described below in reference to the corresponding figures. Forexample, FIG. 7 illustrates information contained in an incoming messageas matching transition from low power state template criteria becausethe addresses and ports identified in the message match the addressesand ports in the template. If the first processor evaluates at step 520the incoming message shown in FIG. 7, the first processor would followthe ‘Y’ path from block 530. However, if the first processor evaluatedat step 530 the incoming message shown in FIG. 8, which has anon-matching originating port value, the first processor would followthe ‘N’ path from block 530 and return to listen mode (after performingany messaging with the communications network in response to thereceived message, such as error reporting) without attempting to causethe second processor to transition from a low power state. Furtherdiscussion of the evaluation at step 530 in connection with FIGS. 7-11is given elsewhere herein.

Upon a determination at step 530 that an incoming message received atstep 520 satisfies a transition from low power state template,criterion, or criteria, method 500 advances to step 535 and the firstprocessor portion generates a transition from low power stateinstruction and provides the transition from low power state instructionto the second processor portion at step 540. The transition from lowpower state may be as simple as a change in voltage level on atrigger/idle/wake pin, or lead, of the second processor portion, or thetransition from low power state instruction may include a command forthe second processor to perform an operation on information contained inthe message received at step 520, on data or executable commands storedin the memory shared between the first and second processors, or oninformation or executable commands stored in another memory of thewireless communication device, such as a memory chip of such as a SIM orSIM profile. A step 545, the second processor transitions from a lowpower state in response to the awaken message, or signal, provided bythe first processor, and begins processing information or data. Method500 ends at step 550.

Turning now to FIG. 6, the figure illustrates a block diagram of a UEdevice 60, or a machine device, that includes a first processor 30, asecond processor 32, and a shared memory 34. UE 60 includes radio frontend circuitry 62, which may be referred to herein as a transceiver, butis understood to typically include transceiver circuitry, separatefilters, and separate antennas for facilitating transmission andreceiving of signals over a wireless link 12 as shown in FIG. 4. UE 60of FIG. 6 may also include a SIM 64, or a SIM profile, which maycomprise information stored in a memory (memory 34 or a separate memoryportion), for facilitating wireless communication with network 4 shownin FIG. 4. SIM 64 is shown coupled to both the first processor portion30 and second processor portion 32. Such an implementation provides anadvantage that first processor portion 30 does not need to request andreceive information or data from SIM 64 that second processor 32 mayrequest, thus eliminating the use of the first processor acting as a‘go-between’ when the second processor uses information from the SIM inperforming its functions and in executing applications. First processor30, which may be a modem processor or baseband processor, is shownsmaller than processor 32, which may be a more sophisticated applicationprocessor, to visually indicate the relative levels of sophistication(i.e., processing capability and performance) and corresponding relativelevels of operating power consumption levels between the two processorportions. Keeping the second processor portion asleep/inactive/in a lowpower state when UE 60 does not need it for executing applications andprocessing data related to an application provides an advantage ofreducing power consumption when the UE only needs to use the firstprocessor portion while in listening mode for routine bearer managementand mobility management/maintenance procedures. UE 60 may also includesensors 66, as discussed elsewhere herein, that may provide signals tothe first processor 30 or second processor 32. In an aspect, a signalfrom a sensor 66 may provide the message received by first processor 30at step 520 of FIG. 5, while second processor 32 is in a low powerstate.

Turning now to FIG. 23, the figure illustrates a flow diagram of amethod 2300 for implementing a fall-back, fail-over, or other type ofbackup transmitting of an awaken message. Method 2300 begins at step2305. The steps of method 2300 may be carried out by a server, such as amachine-to-machine services server, a wireless communication networkoperator's server, a telematics service provider's server, a third-partyservice provider's server, or other type of server. In an aspect, atelematics server may manage all aspects of a fleet of vehicle UEtelematics devices, including messaging, or, a third-party server maycontract with a telematics service provider to perform some aspects ofproviding telematics services, including messaging with the UE devicesassociated with, or primarily managed by, the telematics server.

At step 2310, a server, may transmit a first awaken message to one, ormore than one, of a plurality of UE devices that the server such as atelematics server, or a server associated and cooperating with thetelematics server, may manage. The first awaken message may betransmitted according to a first protocol that is preferably a datagramprotocol such as UDP. Upon transmitting the first awaken message, theserver may set an expected response period timer at step 2315. Theexpected response period timer may be set to a value, such as anexpected response period, that generally corresponds with an amount oftime a typical user may expect the UE device to be available but may notactually use the UE device. Or, the expected response period timer maybe set to a value that generally corresponds with an amount of time theserver expects to receive messages from a UE device. The expectedresponse timer value may be set to different value for different ones ofthe plurality of UE devices managed by the server.

At step 2320, the server determines whether the expected response timehas expired (i.e., the more time has passed since the setting of thetimer at step 2315 that the value that the timer was set to). If thedetermination at step 2320 is NO, method 2300 returns to step 2320. Ifthe server determines at step 2320 that expected response timer hasexpired, method 2300 follows the YES path to step 2325.

At step 2325, the telematics server (or other device carrying out one ormore steps of method 2300, such as a third-party server or a wirelessnetwork provider's server) determines whether a response to the firstawaken message has been received at the server. If the determination atstep 2325 is YES, the server assumes that the first awaken message wassatisfactorily delivered and that the UE to which it was directed exitedfrom a low power state, and method 2300 ends at step 2340.

If, however, the determination at step 2325 is that a response to thefirst awaken message has not been received, method 2300 follows the NOpath to step 2330. At step 2330, the server generates a second awakenmessage. At step 2335, the second awaken message is transmitted to theone or more UE devices according to a second protocol that is not thefirst format. Examples of the second protocol include Short MessageService (“SMS”), Multimedia Messaging Service (“MMS”), Mobile TerminatedIncoming Call (“MTIC”), Rich Communications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (amessaging protocol used by Apple® iPhone® devices), IP multimediaSubsystem (“IMS”), or Session Initiated Protocol (“SIP”). Other similarprotocols that are different from the first protocol may be used. Method2300 ends at step 2340.

The fall back aspect discussed in reference to FIG. 23 may be used toovercome transmission problems that may exist as a result of poorwireless coverage of an area a given UE may be in when the servertransmits a first awaken message at step 2310. Such poor coverage mayexist when a vehicle that includes a given UE, or that is associatedwith a given UE, such as a telematics device or a telematics applicationrunning on a smart phone that is collocated with a vehicle, enters anunderground parking deck, when the vehicle is in a rural area withsparse wireless signal coverage, or if the server transmitted the firstawaken message during a period of wireless network data congestion. Byusing an alternative protocol, such as for example SMS, the secondawaken message may be queued at an SMS center that may store and forwardthe second awaken message to the UE when is capable of receivingmessages again. As SMS messaging is phased out, or if SMS is undesirablebecause of performance or cost concerns, other protocols that may alsoperform a store and forward function may be used for transmitting thesecond awaken message at step 2335, including the other protocolsdescribed above that may be used for transmitting the second awakenmessage.

FIG. 7 shows a simple Layer 3 example where a “Valid Template” iscompared to an incoming message. In this example, baseband processordetermines that the “Incoming Message” matches the valid template andthe baseband processor initiates an action to alert the applicationprocessor. FIG. 8 shows a simple Layer 3 example where the “ValidTemplate” is compared to an incoming message. In this example, the“Valid Template” does not match the incoming message since theOriginating Port on the incoming message is Port 227 while the basebandprocessor is expecting Port 18331. Since the “Valid Template” does notmatch the “Incoming Message”, the baseband processor ignores the messageand takes no action to alert the application processor.

FIG. 9 shows two example expansions on the original concept to furthereliminate false alerts. In the first example, a cryptographic key,generated by some mechanism, whether completely random and agreed uponbetween the network-based alerting server and the mobile device, orusing a cryptographic algorithm, where the key is cryptographicallygenerated with a receiving UE using mechanisms where the key is nottransmitted over the air, a match is required for the baseband processorto take any action and alert the application processor.

FIG. 10 illustrates an aspect where certain parts of the receivedmessage template can be masked, or ignored, to allow, for example, arange of Originating Addresses from 10.10.25.0 to 10.10.25.255 to beconsidered valid using the Ignore Field flag as shown. If the firstprocessor portion performs an AND operation, for example, with the validtemplate criteria and the ignore mask, thus creating newtemplate/criteria information, and then compares the incoming message tothe new criteria, any Originating IP address that matches the firstthree octets of the new criteria would satisfy the transition from lowpower state criteria (i.e., the new criteria). In such a scenario, thenew criteria may be referred to as transition from low power statecriterion/criteria, or the combination of the Valid Template and theIgnore Mask may be referred to as the transition from low power statecriteria. In another aspect, since the Template and the Mask can be “bitmapped”, the address range may be narrowed to fewer than those within arange where a given octet is ‘masked’, for example just two different IPaddresses could be a transition from low power state criteria.

FIG. 11 illustrates an implementation where multiple messages can beconsidered valid messages triggering the baseband processor to initiatea request to the second processor. An aspect may utilize one, ormultiple, OSI level/layer of message tests before the first processorportion provides a transition from low power state instruction toactivate an application processor. Typically, a first processorportion/baseband processor receives and processes Layers 2 and/or 3information, followed by an application processor processing Layers 4information/datagrams. Thus, transition from low power state criteriamay include a MAC address of a device sending a message received by awireless UE/machine device as OSI layer/level 2, or the transition fromlow power state criteria may include a logical address of a devicesending the message received by the wireless UE/machine device.

Although the messages are broken down into nice blocks of Originating IPAddress, Originating Port, Destination Port and Match Message, at Layer3, this may be nothing more than a datagram containing data that has notbeen completely identified other than as bytes.

Ideally, the baseband processor and the application processor operate intandem and are part of a single SOC, but alternatively, thisarchitecture can be applied to any physical and electricalimplementation. The baseband processing can be any number of processingelements and the application processing can use as many processingelements as are required. Preferably, the application processor can callan API that is part of the interface between the baseband processor andthe application processor. The application processor can define theexpected Incoming Messages and the Masks for each of the possibletriggering events.

A triggering event can be one that enables additional functionality orit can be one that causes the Applications Processor to initiate anoutgoing “secure” session as a client to a host server in the network.In the simplest of operations, the triggering event can be the incomingmessage itself or it can match any incoming message datagram, regardlessof content and activate the Applications Processor. The message matchfunctionality may use fixed and permanent templates or it may usetemporary templates and masks or it may use variable templates that arebased on conditions, either external as in GPS time or internal as in acryptographic function generated by on-board algorithms or algorithmsimplemented in security devices such as SIM cards. Examples of matchtemplates include hard wired templates, hard coded templates, templatesloaded into registers or RAM and compared in the input datagrams.Templates could be variable and soft loaded by the application processoror fixed at the time of manufacture.

Upon receipt of the relevant triggering action, the ApplicationsProcessor can begin a “secure” session as a client to a host. TheApplications Processor could also operate as a server, receiving thetriggering event datagram as the first step or login into the wirelessmobile device based server that begins communications. The server couldbe a secure server and the initial datagram is the first message (alsocalled Client Hello) of a TLS Handshake stream. Since any random datainput could trigger this event, a more complex match message isdesirable to eliminate Denial-of-Service attacks where unknown attackerscontinuously flood the device with random data and messages, causing abattery-powered IoT device to use valuable power to respond or initiatea power-consuming data session only to discover that there is nolegitimate external request for a data connection with the device.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: generating, at a server,awaken information derived from a shared value and a stored secretvalue, wherein only the server and a single UE device remote from theserver and managed by the server, can obtain the stored secret value;transmitting the awaken information in an awaken message to the UEdevice when the server determines that the UE device is in a low-powerstate and should exit the low power state; and wherein the awakeninformation is to be used by the UE device to determine to exit the lowpower state when the awaken information matches a transition from lowpower state criterion; and wherein the stored secret value is a secretvalue stored in a SIM of the UE device when the SIM was manufactured,provisioned, personalized, updated, or otherwise programmed and whereinthe stored secret value is unique to the SIM of the UE device.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the UE device includes a modem processor tocompare the awaken information to the transition from low power statecriterion and to instruct an application processor of the UE device toexit the low power state if the awaken information matches thetransition from low power state criterion.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein the shared value that is used in conjunction with the storedsecret value to derive the awaken information and that is shared withthe UE device is a one-time value.
 4. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising: setting an expected response timer at the server to apredetermined expected response period when transmitting the awakenmessage to the UE device according to a first protocol, wherein theawaken message is a first awaken message; generating a second awakenmessage at the server if the server does not receive a response, withinthe predetermined expected response period, that the UE device exitedfrom the low power state, wherein the second awaken message includes theawaken information that was derived from the shared value and the storedsecret value and that was transmitted in the first awaken message; andtransmitting the second awaken message to the UE device according to asecond protocol that is different from the first protocol.
 5. The methodof claim 4 wherein the second protocol is one of at least: Short MessageService (“SMS”), Multimedia Messaging Service (“MMS”), Mobile TerminatedIncoming Call (“MTIC”), Rich Communications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (amessaging protocol used by Apple® iPhone® devices), IP multimediaSubsystem (“IMS”), or Session Initiated Protocol (“SIP”).
 6. The methodof claim 1 wherein the first awaken message is transmitted according toan IP data protocol that is not one of at least: Short Message Service(“SMS”), Multimedia Messaging Service (“MMS”), Mobile TerminatedIncoming Call (“MTIC”), Rich Communications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (amessaging protocol used by Apple® iPhone® devices), IP multimediaSubsystem (“IMS”), or Session Initiated Protocol (“SIP”).
 7. The methodof claim 4 wherein the UE device evaluates the contents of a messagereceived according to the second protocol to determine whether thecontents include awaken information to compare to transition from lowpower state criterion, and wherein the UE devices does not perform anyaction based on the second-protocol message if the contents of thesecond-protocol message do not include awaken information.
 8. The methodof claim 1 further comprising: transmitting from the server to the UEdevice a new shared value to use in conjunction with the stored secretvalue to derive new transition from low power state criterion forcomparing to a future awaken message from the server.
 9. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising: transmitting from the UE device to theserver a new shared value to use in conjunction with the stored secretvalue to derive new awaken information for generating a future awakenmessage for a future exiting of the UE device from a low power state.10. The method of claim 8 wherein the new transition from low powerstate is only used for comparing to a future awaken message if the mostrecent exiting of the UE device from a low power state occurred as aresult of awaken information received in an awaken message matching acorresponding transition from low power state criterion.
 11. The methodof claim 1 wherein the stored secret value is used to encrypt the sharedvalue before the shared value is shared between the server and the UEdevice.
 12. The method of claim 1 further comprising: resetting an awaketimer managed by the server to a predetermined awake period valueassociated with the UE device when a communication between the serverand UE device is received by or transmitted by the server, wherein thepredetermined awake period to which the awake timer at the server isreset corresponds to a predetermined awake period value to which a sleeptimer at the UE is reset when a communication between the server and UEdevice is received by or transmitted by the UE; determining at theserver that the UE device is in a low-power state and should exit thelow power state when a message is received at or generated by the serverto be forwarded to the UE device and when the awake timer managed by theserver has expired.
 13. The method of claim 1: wherein the server andthe UE device shared the shared value, used with the stored secret valueto derive the awaken information, before the UE device entered the lowpower state for which the awaken information will be compared with thetransition from low power state criterion by the UE to determine whetherto exit the low power state when the awaken information matches thetransition from low power state criterion; and wherein the UE devicegenerated the transition from low power state criterion, based on theshared value and stored secret value, before going into the low powerstate for which the awaken information will be compared with thetransition from low power state criterion by the UE to determine whetherto exit the low power state when the awaken information matches thetransition from low power state criterion.
 14. The method of claim 1wherein the server and the UE device share the shared value, used withthe stored secret value to derive the awaken information, when theserver transmits the awaken message to the UE device and wherein the UEdevice generates the transition from low power state criterion, based onthe shared value and stored secret value, when the UE device receivesthe awaken message.
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the UE is in a lowpower state but is in a data connected state.
 16. A system, comprising:a server including at least one processor to generate awaken informationderived from a shared value and a stored secret value and to transmitthe awaken information in an awaken message to a UE device that isuniquely associated with the stored secret value and that is remote fromthe server and managed by the server, wherein the UE device includes afirst processor and a second processor, and wherein the second processorenters a low power state when processing of application data is notrequired of the UE device; wherein only the server and the UE devicehave access to the stored secret value, and wherein the stored secretvalue is unique to the UE device; wherein the server and the UE deviceshare the shared value, used with the stored secret value to derive theawaken information, before the second processor of the UE device entersthe low power state; wherein the UE device generates a transition fromlow power state criterion, based on the value and stored secret value,before going into the low power state; and wherein the awakeninformation is to be used by the UE device to exit the low power statewhen the awaken information matches the transition from low power statecriterion.
 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the UE device includes amodem processor to compare the awaken information to the transition fromlow power state criterion and to instruct an application processor ofthe UE device to exit the low power state.
 18. The system of claim 17further comprising: wherein the server sets a timer to a predeterminedexpected response period when transmitting the awaken information to theUE device in the awaken message according to a first protocol, whereinthe awaken message is a first awaken message; generating a second awakenmessage at the server if the server does not receive a response, withinthe predetermined expected response period, that the applicationprocessor of the UE device exited from the low power state, wherein thesecond awaken message includes the awaken information that was derivedfrom the shared value and the stored secret value and that wastransmitted in the first awaken message; and transmitting the secondawaken message to the UE device according to a second protocol that isdifferent from the first protocol.
 19. The system of claim 18 whereinthe second protocol is one of at least: Short Message Service (“SMS”),Multimedia Messaging Service (“MMS”), Mobile Terminated Incoming Call(“MTIC”), Rich Communications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (a messagingprotocol used by Apple® iPhone® devices), IP multimedia Subsystem(“IMS”), or Session Initiated Protocol (“SIP”).
 20. The system of claim18 wherein the first awaken message is transmitted according to an IPdata protocol that is not one of at least: Short Message Service(“SMS”), Multimedia Messaging Service (“MMS”), Mobile TerminatedIncoming Call (“MTIC”), Rich Communications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (amessaging protocol used by Apple® iPhone® devices), IP multimediaSubsystem (“IMS”), or Session Initiated Protocol (“SIP”).
 21. The systemof claim 18 wherein the modem processor of the UE device evaluates thecontents of the second awaken message to determine whether the contentsinclude awaken information to compare to transition from low power statecriterion, and wherein the UE devices does not perform any action basedon the second message if the contents of the second message do notinclude awaken information.
 22. A telematics server, comprising: atleast one processor to: generate awaken information derived from a valueand a stored secret value, wherein only the server and a single UEdevice remote from the server, and managed by the server, can obtain thestored secret value, wherein the stored secret value is unique to thesingle UE device; transmit the awaken information in a first awakenmessage to the UE device when the telematics server determines that theUE device is in a low-power state and should exit the low power state;wherein the telematics server and the UE device shared the value, usedwith the stored secret value to derive the awaken information, beforethe UE device entered the low power state; wherein the UE devicegenerated a transition from low power state criterion, based on thevalue and stored secret value, before going into the low power state;and wherein the awaken information is to be used by the UE device toexit the low power state when the awaken information matches thetransition from low power state criterion.
 23. The telematics server ofclaim 22 further comprising: wherein the telematics server sets a timerto a predetermined expected response period when transmitting the firstawaken message to the UE device according to a first protocol;generating a second awaken message at the telematics server if thetelematics server does not receive a response, within the predeterminedexpected response period, that the application processor of the UEdevice exited from the low power state, wherein the second awakenmessage includes the awaken information that was derived from the valueand the stored secret value and that was transmitted in the first awakenmessage; and transmitting the second awaken message to the UE deviceaccording to a second protocol that is different from the firstprotocol.
 24. A method, comprising: generating, at a server, awakeninformation derived from a shared value and a stored secret value,wherein only the server and a single UE device remote from the serverand managed by the server, can obtain the stored secret value;transmitting the awaken information in a first awaken message to the UEdevice when the server determines that the UE device is in a low-powerstate and should exit the low power state; wherein the awakeninformation is to be used by the UE device to determine to exit the lowpower state when the awaken information matches a transition from lowpower state criterion; setting an expected response timer at the serverto a predetermined expected response period when transmitting the firstawaken message to the UE device according to a first protocol;generating a second awaken message at the server if the server does notreceive a response, within the predetermined expected response period,that the UE device exited from the low power state, wherein the secondawaken message includes the awaken information that was derived from theshared value and the stored secret value and that was transmitted in thefirst awaken message; and transmitting the second awaken message to theUE device according to a second protocol that is different from thefirst protocol.
 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the second protocolis one of at least: Short Message Service (“SMS”), Multimedia MessagingService (“MMS”), Mobile Terminated Incoming Call (“MTIC”), RichCommunications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (a messaging protocol used byApple® iPhone® devices), IP multimedia Subsystem (“IMS”), or SessionInitiated Protocol (“SIP”).
 26. The method of claim 24 wherein the firstawaken message is transmitted according to an IP data protocol that isnot one of at least: Short Message Service (“SMS”), Multimedia MessagingService (“MMS”), Mobile Terminated Incoming Call (“MTIC”), RichCommunications Service (“RCS”), iMessage (a messaging protocol used byApple® iPhone® devices), IP multimedia Subsystem (“IMS”), or SessionInitiated Protocol (“SIP”).
 27. The method of claim 24 wherein the UEdevice evaluates the contents of a message received according to thesecond protocol to determine whether the contents include awakeninformation to compare to transition from low power state criterion, andwherein the UE devices does not perform any action based on thesecond-protocol message if the contents of the second-protocol messagedo not include awaken information.
 28. A method, comprising: generating,at a server, awaken information derived from a shared value and a storedsecret value, wherein only the server and a single UE device remote fromthe server and managed by the server, can obtain the stored secretvalue; transmitting the awaken information in an awaken message to theUE device when the server determines that the UE device is in alow-power state and should exit the low power state; wherein the awakeninformation is to be used by the UE device to determine to exit the lowpower state when the awaken information matches a transition from lowpower state criterion; resetting an awake timer managed by the server toa predetermined awake period value associated with the UE device when acommunication between the server and UE device is received by ortransmitted by the server, wherein the predetermined awake period towhich the awake timer at the server is reset corresponds to apredetermined awake period value to which a sleep timer at the UE isreset when a communication between the server and UE device is receivedby or transmitted by the UE; and determining at the server that the UEdevice is in a low-power state and should exit the low power state whena message is received at or generated by the server to be forwarded tothe UE device and when the awake timer managed by the server hasexpired.
 29. A method, comprising: generating, at a server, awakeninformation derived from a shared value and a stored secret value,wherein only the server and a single UE device remote from the serverand managed by the server, can obtain the stored secret value;transmitting the awaken information in an awaken message to the UEdevice when the server determines that the UE device is in a low-powerstate and should exit the low power state; wherein the awakeninformation is to be used by the UE device to determine to exit the lowpower state when the awaken information matches a transition from lowpower state criterion; wherein the server and the UE device shared theshared value, used with the stored secret value to derive the awakeninformation, before the UE device entered the low power state for whichthe awaken information will be compared with the transition from lowpower state criterion by the UE to determine whether to exit the lowpower state when the awaken information matches the transition from lowpower state criterion; and wherein the UE device generated thetransition from low power state criterion, based on the shared value andstored secret value, before going into the low power state for which theawaken information will be compared with the transition from low powerstate criterion by the UE to determine whether to exit the low powerstate when the awaken information matches the transition from low powerstate criterion.